Post driver admits stealing Warrington mail worth £219,000

8:00am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News

Paul Doughty Paul Doughty

A POSTAL worker has pleaded guilty to stealing mail worth £219,000 he was supposed to deliver.

Paul Doughty, aged 57, worked as a HGV driver for Royal Mail in Warrington.

He was responsible for driving wagon-loads of high value mail - all sent by special delivery - to depots in the area.

Doughty stole 11 large mail bags over a year, taking the parcels and letters to his Liverpool home instead of delivering them.

The Royal Mail employee admitted five counts of theft at Warrington Crown Court on Tuesday.

Doughty, of Devon Court, Aintree, also pleaded guilty to one count of converting criminal property.

Judge David Hale warned he now faces prison.

He said: “You must be under no illusion of what is going to happen.

“Clearly it is a very serious offence.”

The thefts took place between September 2010 and September 2011.

Doughty’s deceit was uncovered in an internal investigation by Royal Mail who placed him under surveillance after suspicions were aroused.

He was arrested on September 10, 2011.

Jonathan Duffy, defending, asked for reports to be carried out before Doughty is sentenced.

He added the defendant is due to go on holiday before his next hearing.

The case was adjourned for sentence until Thursday, May 16.

Wife Pauline Doughty was also due to be prosecuted for one count of converting criminal property.

The case against her has now been dropped, following her husband’s guilty pleas.

Following the hearing Val Bodden, Royal Mail spokesman, said: “Royal Mail has a zero tolerance approach to any dishonesty and that stance is shared by the overwhelming majority of postmen and women, who are honest and hardworking and who do all they can to protect the mail and deliver it safely.

“It is a criminal offence to tamper with or delay the delivery of mail and anyone caught doing so will face serious disciplinary measures.

“Royal Mail will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust.”

Comments(12)

irishwire says...
9:21am Thu 7 Mar 13

Why is he allowed to go on holiday? What a joke!

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ninearches says...
10:57am Thu 7 Mar 13

He's probably off to the Costa del Crime for the foreseeable future .

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Karlar says...
12:09pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Next I suppose they will be delaying sentencing because he has say to attend a parents' evening at the local school?

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Casual Postman of Orford says...
1:25pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Not all us postmen are like this. Don't judge us all by one mans actions! Stay casual boys & girls...

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widnesman says...
1:59pm Thu 7 Mar 13

I think he`s heading for a holiday in one of "Her Majesty`s" hotels!!

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Nick Tessla says...
2:19pm Thu 7 Mar 13

He could send the judge a postcard - but it would only get lost in the post


;-)

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Sameoldsameold says...
5:13pm Thu 7 Mar 13

The judge needs to stamp his authority

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old-codger says...
7:32pm Thu 7 Mar 13

He was arrested on September 10, 2011.
He added the defendant is due to go on holiday before his next hearing.
Judge David Hale warned he now faces prison.
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Its 18 months since he was arrested and just been to trial, He,s had ample time to go on holiday AND serve the miserly sentence he will receive sewing mailbags..

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chumhill says...
11:44pm Thu 7 Mar 13

A little off topic, but is it just me or does anyone else receieve extremely poor service from the Warrington collection office in town?

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sophiebo88 says...
9:43am Fri 8 Mar 13

yeah i have, the collection office "lost" my parcel. It was sent recorded so i knew it had arrived, but i was out at the time, didn't receive any card through the door and the collection office couldn't find it either, i think it was the postman though every other delivery at my old address went missing, which i reported on many occasions. i had to stop using royal mail! since moving away from fearnhead a couple of months ago i've had no post go missing at all. if you have had the same problem make sure you report it

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old-codger says...
5:14pm Fri 8 Mar 13

My postman is alway,s cheerful as well as helpful,
If I am out he will leave parcels with a neighbour and leave me a card to say where he left it, I am fortunate enough to be able to say I have never had a problem.
Touch wood..

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mr walter mitty says...
3:52pm Mon 11 Mar 13

To all you press lovers, just remember that the rubbish and lies they print could be about you next, your family, or friends and then you would soon think differently about the scumbag vermin infested press. They couldn't care less about innocent victims. It is just sheer greed, evil to sell papers on the back of someones misfortune.

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